So reading the TS forum today, many seem to conclude the forthcoming TS Classic release, is the beginning of the end for the much loved (older)Train Simulator.(despite DTG saying not). I came to TS via TSW2, and really do not have any desire to go back to TSW2 gameplay or route length. (Prehaps it has improved since I left it). So the next obvious question would be, what would players like from a possible new train simulator game should DTG wish to make one? My wish list: 1) VR (thanks to the growth in racing and flight sim games, many more PC users have access to headsets compared to the last time (DTG?) held a survey to canvas TS players opinion, although appreciate VR is not for everyone). 2) Backwards DLC compatible. (Ie when TSW became TSW2 and preservation crew carried DLC over). Will be a sad day if all the ££££ everyone has spent on TS DLC could not be transferred over. Any other suggestions?
Less knee-jerk reactions and overthinking from the fanbase? As for what would I want from the sim.. TS Classic core properly re-written from the ground up and avoid Unreal engine like the bloody plague!
Any core upgrade that improves performance and stability (if possible), along with an upgrade of existing routes to a more unified standard in terms of graphics/route building and features/systems depth. Reality is though, this wouldn't likely come from DTG but a 3rd party willing to continue support for TS, like how Lockheed Martin took FSX to create P3D.
This is a wish list for many years in the Future DTG are still developing new add-ons for TS2022 - soon to be TS Classic And they are still developing TSW2 I don't think DTG have the capacity to develop a third variation And I don't think people who have spent lots of money on TS20XX and TSW2 would be happy spending the same again
A merge tool, added to the editors. I know Trainz uses a totally different route building concept. But to be able to merge routes together, is such a satisfying aspect of Surveyor. Particularly as it is almost achievable with your eyes closed, being such a simple process.
-DX12/Vulcan support -DLSS/DLAA support -Larger focus on realism with regards to train operations, how braking systems work, etc
To pick up on one point, backward compatibility is the biggest hurdle Train Simulator has. Any changes that are made in the existing software is likely to render a few addons inoperable, or cause them to work in a weird way. The longer a piece of software is used, the more its developers find clever ways to use it in order to get a desirable effect. The problem is that this creates myriad non-standard solutions. Should the standard then be upgraded these non-standard approaches will find themselves trying to do things that no longer function. While, obviously, there is more work that can be done on the Train Sim core we have to be very wary of inadvertently breaking parts of players' collections.
I personally think that if TSW2 will get more priority, that this game may go the way of MSTS/OR and content would be created by the community
As well as the recently issued Train Life you can also play the SimRail Railway Simulator with the full version to be released shortly. Also coming soon is the Trans-Siberian Railway Simulator. Do we really need another Train Simulator?
Neither of those are really serious train simulators though. They're adapted to the more 'casual' audience like ETS2 and do not have the content variety behind them that TSC and TSW do (yet). The only other train simulator I might play more of in the future is Diesel Railcar Simulator, but only when that game finally progresses beyond early access and has improved graphics and true-to-life real world routes.
I think it is even more simple than that, when revenue from new DTG add-ons drops below a profitable threshold they will stop making them and we will be relying on add-ons from 3rd party developers and community enthusiasts. Having said that many 3rd party and community add-ons are of exceptional quality.
So even though DTG have said on this page https://live.dovetailgames.com/live...es/article/announcing-train-simulator-classic "You can look forward to continued support and many more Add-Ons from both Dovetail Games and our partners" You seem to think that is wrong?
Why are you debating this comment? The key word here is "when". I have no clue to how profitable DTG's add-ons are currently and obviously for them to make the above statement they are still profitable for the time being (although DTG's comment itself is generic "MarketingSpeak"). This could remain true for years to come if we keep buying. My words simply say that there will come a point in the future when it isn't profitable for DTG (or their partners) to make add-ons anymore.
Well, one could support new 'format' style addons, benefiting from all the new modern features in a new/updated core which offers backwards compatibility by means of the old core. Something what Microsoft did with Word. In 2000, or so, the .DOCX format was introduced offering more features for word processing, while .DOC was, and is still supported, having less posibilities. To use all new features the old 'format' .DOC, should be converted to .DOCX In TS2, new AddOns will benefit the amazing (it must be ) new core, while older AddOns still work on the older core, but they could be converted to the embrace the new core.
I'd like to see better handling of shadows in TS: Shadows correctly originating from the feature that's casting them, not the odd offset that is commonly seen. Shadows being cast at a greater distance from the player, so trees etc aren't suddenly popping into shadow 100m in front of the train. As both of these are graphic engine elements I think there's less likelihood of them breaking legacy content as they don't relate to the kinematic elements of the simulation engine. I was going say the physics engine, but light is physics too! Item 2 should be player selectable, as it will add CPU and GPU load.
Change you Graphics settings - the Draw Distance is what defines how far away the trees will pop in to shadow
Besides backwards compatibility that you mentioned, I would simply wish for: faster and improved menu system to support large collections I'm perfectly happy to press Rescan myself the ability to sort / focus / hide DLC better slightly better graphics I think the current game has potential, as the enhancers show the main issue from many aspects is how each route ships its own assets duplicated storage virtually impossible to improve: upgrade old buildings and plants each route is self-samey, I love (workshop) routes using plants from multiple routes I'd also wish for the ability to revisit and improve routes, Trainz has several examples but the PDL is conceptually the same smart AI system where the AI is dynamically constructed both for replayability and realism enabling older routes to use newer content I know this hole is very deep, so it needs a lot of attention to metadata US example: in a lashup, you could see foreign power (chance influenced by year, maybe zone, and type of engine/wagon to keep the spirit) UK/GE example: on top of multiple liveries in a consist (similar to the TEA pack), would be nice to see additional loco types; think back to the US NEC, it's either AEM-7, ACS-64 or ALP-45DP, why not mix all, same with DB BRs
Doom and gloom seem to have hijacked this thread despite DTG (or is it because) have stated clearly that it is NOT the end.
